Students Gathering Data - It CAN Be Fun!

As educators, when we hear the word "data", we know the importance that it plays in decision-making. West Virginia CSOs require students to be able to read and interpret data in the form of charts, diagrams, tables, and a variety of other formats.

Many times, the data presented to them in curricular materials is irrelevant to them; to their interests. Why not provide for them a set of tools whereby they can construct their own questions, gather their own data, then render it in a variety of graphical forms for the purposes of interpretation and presentation?

Fortunately, there exist a few simple, free, and easy-to-learn online resources to help them do just that!

1. PollDaddy http://www.polldaddy.com See it in action at http://cpitrolo.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/poll Click on "View Results" to see the rendering of results in graphical format.
2. MisterPoll http://www.misterpoll.com See samples at http://www.misterpoll.com/directory See a possibly relevant sample at http://www.misterpoll.com/polls/392490 Click on "Results" to see the rendering of results in graphical format.
3. For a simple website that allows students to create various charts (i.e. bar graphs, pie charts, line graphs) visit http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createAgraph/default.aspx. There's even a "classic" interface available at http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/graphing/classic for those wanting a more simplified interactive experience.

Simply put: Let the children develop their own topics, design their own hypotheses or predictions, design their own questions that address those predictions, then conduct the poll(s).

The results can be used to explain and or justify their predictions and refine or rationalize the "why" of the outcomes. Now there's learning that's relevant, involves students in higher-order thinking, real-world, and engaging!